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Rescue Effort in Philippines Turns Deadly

MANILA — At least seven Philippine marines and seven Abu Sayyaf militants were killed in a clash in a government offensive aimed at rescuing six foreign and Filipino hostages and stopping the militants from staging more kidnappings in the country’s south, a military commander said Sunday.

The clash erupted Saturday in a sparsely populated village near the coastal town of Patikul in Sulu Province. Six marines and about 10 gunmen were wounded, Col. Jose Cenabre said.

Government troops backed by assault helicopters were hunting down the fleeing militants, who were believed to be led by Jul-Aswan Sawadjaan, an Abu Sayyaf commander accused in the kidnappings of a Jordanian journalist and two European bird-watchers who are still being held by the militants.

One of Mr. Sawadjaan’s sons and a minor Abu Sayyaf commander are believed to have been killed in the firefight, said Colonel Cenabre, who commands the security forces in Sulu. He said the marines initially had difficulty returning fire because the dozens of militants took cover near a row of houses.

The firefight was part of a military offensive that started last week and is aimed at rescuing the three foreign captives, who were abducted last year, along with three Filipinos kidnapped separately in recent weeks by the militants, who have links to Al Qaeda, he said.